Printing press



`Hmm 29 1924. 3,482,355 c. F. DAUSMANN PRINTING PRESS Filed Feb. 2, 1922 2 sheets-sheet x 9 ,482,355 j 29 l 24 c. F. DAUSMANN PRINTING PRESS Filed Feb. 2, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @ww/14h06 arsczwffldm f@ i fr,

Patented Jan. 29, 1924.

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raamt@ M T W FH o CHARLES F. DAUSIYLANN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE PRISMATONE CO. INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PRINTING PRESS.

Application tiled February 2, 1922. Serial No. 533,527.

T o all ywhom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. DAUs- MAXX, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Brooklyn, in the ,county of 6 Queens and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Printing Presses, of which the fol-n lowing is a specification.

This invention relates to printing presses l and more particularly to a web press designed or rotaryV gravure color printing, the present applicatlon being in part a continuation of a divisional application filed Feb. '28. 1920, Serial No. 362,030, and renewed November 17th, 1920, Serial No.

515,973, of my original application for Letters Patent tiled August 2nd, 1919, Serial No. 315.603 and renewed February 7th, 1921, Serial No. 443,226.

It is the primary object and purpose of my present invention to provide means inva press of the character referred to, whereby the web may be accurately registered with the printing cylinders of the vertically spaced sets or couples so that the several colors will be precisely imposed or applied to the paper or web as it passes successlvely between the printing and impression rollers of the printing couples. To this end I provide between the vertically spaced printin I couples of the press, endlessblankets, preerablv of the construction disclosed in my co-pen ing application tiled January 17th, 1922, Ser. No. 529,812, the said blankets moving at the same n speed as the web and creating induced electrostatic charges having an attractive inyiuence for the paper web substantially throughout the area thereof between' the printing couples whereby the web is main- 40 tained in exact register with the printing surfaces of the cylinders.

In connection with the electrostatic charge producing means arranged between the spaced couples of the press, I provide a suitable mechanism for simultaneously withdrawing said means, -together with the series of impression rollers, from their opera-- tive positions with relation to the web and the printing cylinders respectively, so that the removal of the web from the press and the insertion of a new web may be expeditiously performed. This mechanism may be similar to that shown in the divisional application above referred to, or of the improved A -form herein illustrated. Such mechanism however, is not specifically claimed in the present application, the relative mounting and arrangement of the electrostatic charge producing blankets and the impression rollers of the printing couples, together with the throw-0H' mechanism therefor, being described and claimed in an independent a plication filed February 10th, 1922, Ser. h). 535,607. a

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved printing press and in the form, construction and relative arrangement of the parts constituting the several novel features as above characterized` all of which will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings and subsequently incorported in the subjoined claims. l

In the drawings wherein I have illustrated one practica-l and satisfactory embodiment of my present invention and in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a multi-color printing press equipped with the present invention, and

ig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view more particularly illustrating the arrangement of the electrostatic charge producing` means between the spaced printing couples and the throw-off mechanism for such means and the impression rollers.

In the accompanying drawings, I ha\'e illustrated only so much of the entire press as is requisite to a clear understanding of my present improvement. To this end there is shown in the drawings one of the side frames or standards 10, the other side frame being removed to reveal the arrangement of the mechanism disposed between said frames.

Between the side frames a series of vertically spaced printing sets or couples are arranged. In the present instance I have illustrated four such printing couples, each consisting of a. printing lcylinder 11 having the ends of its shaft 12 journaled in suitable bearings on the side frames. and 4ran impression roller 13. The shaft 14 of the impressin roller is journaled at its ends in suitable bearings on t-he castings 15 which are pivotally mounted at their lower'ends upon a transversely extending rod 16 tixed'at its extremities in the side frames 10 of the press.

The printing Ycylinder is preferably of metal and has an etched intaglio printing surface, while the impression roller which co-operates with said cylinder is provided with a rubber cover or sheath. Ink issupplied to the surface of the printing cylinder by means of the usual iiking roller, not shown. Any suitable arrangement ot' gearing may be provided for driving the printing cylinders, such for instance, as that shown in application Serial No. 362,030.

It will .be noted that the passage between the cylinders and impressionv rollers of the spaced printing couples are located in offset vertical planes with relation to .each other, or in other words, the line coinciding with the passes of the rinting couple-s would extend in a vertica ly oblique 'direction. In the spaces between the printing couples the endless aprons or blankets 17 are arranged, each blanket extending substantially the entire vertical distance from the pass ofl one printing couple to the pass ofthe next lower printing couple. Each blanket is supported by andt moved around spaced rollers 18, 19 and 20, respectively,P which are mounted in a suitable frame 21. At the upper end of this frame the roller 18 is journaled at its ends in slide bea-rings 22 which are mounted upon the bearing castings 15 for one of the impression rollers. The frame' 21 includes a longitudinally curved plate 21 with which one stretch of the apron or blanket 17 is in frictional contact. The roller 19 is adjustably mounted upon the frame to properly tension the belt and regulate its pressure upon the surface of the plate 21.

The upper end of each bearing casting 15 is provided with an arm 23, the arms of the corresponding castings at opposite sides of the press being connected by a rod 24. Stop screws 25 are threaded in these rods with the exception of the one connecting the uppermost castings 15, said screws contacting with the lower ends of the frames 21 of the respective blankets. The slide bearings 22 for the upper ends of said frame-s may be adjusted by means of the screws 26 whereb the frames 21 carrying the aprons or blankets may be adjusted with respect to the passes between the spaced printing couples.

The paper web indicated at A is drawn from the roll B 'around suitable guide and tensioning rollers C, hence around the additional guide rollers D and E and finally over the impression roller 13 of the uppermost printing couple. The paper web is then extended downwardly through the pass between said impression roller and the opposed printing cylinder over the stretch of the apron or blanket 17 which is engaged upon the p late 21 and successively through the passes of the remaining printing couples and over the aprons or blankets arranged Maaate there between. It will be understood that each printing cylinder 11 prints upon one side of the paper web in only one color, and in order that these different colors shall be precisely imposed upon the web, it is essential that exact registration be maintained in the movement of the web through the press with the surfaces of the successive printing cylinders.

As fully explained in my co-pending application, this end is attained by the creation of an induced electrostatic charge in` the movement of the apron or blanket 17 over the plate 21. rIhe aprons or blankets are of a width as great as or exceeding the width of the web so that there is a uniform distribution of the attractive influence of the electrostatic charge over substantially the entire area of the paper web extending be: tween the spaced printing couples. The web is thus drawn down and caused to cling tightly to the surface of the apron or blanket which o'ers high frictional resistance and entirely counteracts any tendency of the web to shift or deviate from its line of movement during its passage from the pass ot' one printing couple to the pass of the next lower printing couple. It will be understood that the aprons or blankets are driven at the same speed as the speed of movement of the web -through the press. This driving means for the blankets which I have not herein illustrated may be similar to that shown in my application 362,030. However, in so far as the scope of the present application is concerned, any other electrostatic charge producing means which will, by the attractive influence of the charge, hold the web against a lateral shifting movement, may be substituted for the aprons or Iblankets referred to.

In conjunction with the means above described whereby effective registration of the web with the printing cylinders is obtained, I provide a means whereby the registering blankets and the impressin rollers of the several printing couples may be simultaneously withdrawnfrom ,their operative positions with relation to the web and the printing cylinders respectively so that the paper web can be easily removed from the press and a new web placed therein. To this end coil springs 26 are attached at one of their ends to the rods 24, the other ends of said springs being connected to the inner ends of threaded rods 27 extending through the frame bar 28 of the press. Nuts 29 are threaded upon the outer ends of the rods 27 whereby the tension of the springs 26 may be properly adjusted, as will be readily understood. These springs act to normally withdraw the impression rollers 13 from peripheral contact with the printing cylinders 11.

Opposite the edge of each frame casting 15, a hand screw 30 is mounted in a part 31 of the press frame and at its inner end has a threaded connection with the nut- 32. This nut is connected by means of toggle links 33 with the bearing castings 15 for the impression roller. Upon the transverse sha-ft 34 journaled in the side frames of the press, the cams 35 are fixed to engage with the respective toggles 33 and lock the same in extended position to thereby hold the impression roller13 in engagement with the printing cylinder against the action of the springs 26. Upon a `second transverse shaft 36 oppositely projecting arms 3T are fixed, the upper edges of said arms engaging with the underside of the spaced pivot pins 38 when the toggle 33 is extended. Arms 39 and 40 fixed respectively to the shafts 34 and 36 are connectedby a link 41, said link at one of its ends having a slot `41 to permit of the shifting movement of the link upon the pin 40 fixed in the arm 40. An additional arm 42 is fixed upon one end of-each of the shafts'34 exteriorly of the side frame l0 of the press, the said latter arms being pivoted to a common actuating bar or member' 43. Any suitable mea-ns may be provided for imparting an operating movement to the member 43 but for this purpose I have herein shown a gear segment 44 fixed to the lowermost shaft 34 and a pinion 45 in mesh therewith,said pinion being actuated by'a suitable manually operable crank 46. When the.

parts are in the position seen in Fig. 2 of the drawings it will be noted that all of the impression rollers are locked in their operative positions with relation to the printing cylinders by the engagement of the cams 35 with the toggle connections 33 .and since the apron or blanket frames 21 are mounted at their upper ends upon one pair of castings 15 and supported at their lower ends by the stop screws 25 of the next lower pair of castings, said blankets likewise will be maintained in their operative positions with relation to the web. When it' is desired to relieve the web from contact by t-he impression rollers and blankets or aprons, the crank 46 is operated to thereby actuate the connecting bar 43. This bar is moved in the direction indicated by the' arrow or downwardly, and the cams 35 are first moved out of engagement with the toggles 33. The lower ends of the links 41 are simultaneously moved relative to the arms 40 and finally engage one of the arms 37 projecting from one side of the shaft 36. forcing the same downwardly while the other arm 37 exerts an-upward pressure against one of the pins 38 and thus breaks the toggle connection, thereby permitting the springs 26 to contract, whereupon the several bearing castings 15 are rocked upon the supporting rodsl 16 so that the impression rollers are moved away from the printing cylinders. Owing to the manner of mounting thestatic charge producing blankets with their supporting frames as above explained, said blankets are also moved simultaneously with the castings 15 and as a unit therewith outof their operative positions between the passes of the printing couples, so that the web is relieved from the influence of the electrostatic charges throughout the length of the web extending between the printing couples in.

one operation. The paper web can then be easily removed from the press and a new web threaded downwardly between the passes of the printing couples. The movement of the actuating bar 43 is now reversed so that the cams 35 are caused to exert a downward pressure upon the toggle connections 33, thereb spreading said connections and returning the impression rollers and the blankets to their former operative positions.

I have described the throw-off mechanism whereby the impression rollers and the blankets can be withdrawn from operative position, in some detail so that the present embodiment of the machine may be readily understood. However, I make no specific claim to this mechanism in the present application since it is manifest that in so far as the general combination is concerned, such throw-off mechanism might be exemplified in numerous other constructions. Therefore, I have claimed herein a throw-off mechanism broadly in combination with the electrostatic charge producing means and the impression rollers of the printing couples and in a comvention will be fully understood. In so far as I am aware I believe it to be entirely new in the art to provide means arranged between spaced printing couples of a press for utilizing an induced electrostatic charge, to maintain registration of the web with the printing cylinders, which charge producin means may be actuated to release the we from the influence of the electrostatic charge simultaneously with the throw-ofi` of the impression rollers of the printing couples. It will accordingly be understood that the invention is not limited to the mechanical details herein referred to since the desired resultmight be accomplished by means of various alternative forms of mechanism. I, therefore reserve the privilege of resorting to necessary mechanical modifications which maybe required in order to adapt the present invention to various types of printing presses, and as may fairly be considered to come within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

' printing couples to subject substantially entire area of the l claim: 1. In combination with aprintin press having a plurality of vertically space printing couples, each consisting of a printing cylinder and an impression roller, means arranged in the s aces between the printing couples for pro ucing electrostatic charges acting by their attractive influence over substantially the entire area of the sections of paper web extending between the printing couples to maintain register of the web with the printing cylinders, and means operable to withdraw the impression rollers from i their operative positions in relation to the printing cylinders and to simultaneously re- Maaate draw the impression rolleiof each printing couple from its operative position with re- 30 lation to the respective printing cylinders and to also simultaneously bodily shift all of the electrostatic charge producing means to relieve the web sections from the infiuence of the electrostatic charges.

3. The method of controlling the operation of a `-multi-couple web rinting press which consists in creating adjacent to one side of each section of a web extending between adjacent couples of the press, an electrostatic charge and subjecting the web to .the influence of such electrostatic charge to thereby hold the web against lateral deviation from its line of movement between the spaced printing couples, and moving one of the elements of each printi couple into or out of eective relatlon with the web and simultaneously subjecting all 'sections of the web to the inuence of the electrostatic charges or relieving the web sections from such inuence.

ln testimony that I claim the `foregoing as my invention, l have signed my name hereunder.

CHARLES F. DAUSMANN. 

